Original | English Version by Riccardo Venturi
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GUILLAUME SEZNEC: [6] LA DÉLIVRANCE | THE RELEASE |
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Grande nouvelle en Bretagne : | Great news to Brittany : |
Seznec est arrivé tantôt, | Seznec has just landed there, |
De plus de vingt ans de bagne, | after over twenty years’ conviction |
Il nous revient en héros. | he comes back as a hero. |
Grande nouvelle en Bretagne, | Great news to Brittany, |
De Nantes jusqu'à Landerneau. | from Nantes to Landerneau. |
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D'avoir fleuri Marie-Jeanne | He’s brought flowers to Marie-Jeanne |
En terre depuis seize ans, | dead and buried since sixteen years, |
D'embrasser sa fille Jeanne | he’s kiss’d and hugged his daughter Jeanne |
Qui s'est battue tant et tant, | who fought for him so much, |
De serrer d'embrasser Jeanne | kiss’d and hugged Jeanne in his arms, |
Qui pour lui s'est battue tant. | she fought for him so much. |
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Grande foule hier au Havre, | Great crowd yesterday in Le Havre, |
Mardi premier de juillet : | on Tuesday the first of July : |
Le Colombie, blanche étrave, | thousands cast their moved glances |
Mille et plus le guettaient, | at the white-prowed « Colombie », |
Blanc Colombie, blanche étrave, | thousands cast their cries of hurra |
Mille et plus l'acclamaient. | at the white-prowed « Colombie ». |
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Vingt trois années d'absence | After twenty three years’ absence |
N'ont point tué son entêtement, | he’s obstinated like he was before |
A redire son innocence, | in proclaiming his innocence |
Malgré ses cheveux blancs, | though his hair is white now, |
A crier son innocence | in crying loud his innocence |
A soixante-dix ans. | though aged seventy. |
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C'est devoir pour la Justice | It is a duty for Justice |
Toujours de mériter son nom; | to be always this name worth ; |
Après Guillaume, son petit-fils | after Guillaume, it’s his grandson |
Lui en réclame raison. | who claims for satisfaction. |
A Guillaume rendons justice, | So be justice done to Guillaume |
Il n'est que trop de raisons. | for even too many reasons. |
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Qu'elle veuille belle se faire, | So may Justice be adorn’d, |
Une ceinture lui offrirons, | and we’ll offer Her a girdle |
Pour faire le tour de la terre | to make the tour of the world |
Et trois tours de sa maison, | and three tours of his house, |
Faire trois tours de la terre | to make three tours of the world |
Et trois tours de l'horizon, | and three tours of the horizon. |
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Une ceinture de cire | We’ll offer Her a wax girdle [*] |
Fragile comme jugements, | fragile as judgements, |
Punir l'innocence est pire | an innocent’s punishment is worse |
Qu'acquitter les brigands; | than releasing a criminal, |
Punir l'innocence est pire, | an innocent’s punishment |
Pire des jugements. | is the worst judgement of all. |
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[*] The topos of the « Wax girdle » winding three turns around a person, a house or the Earth is often to be found in Breton folksongs and folktales, f.ex. in the « Barzaz Breizh » (« Elliant’s Pestilence », « Lez-Breiz » etc.). It is probably the echo of a very old, pre-Christian belief, a magic and pious supplication to the gods for hearing and answering one’s prayers.
Reference to this belief shows clearly that the anonymous ballad maker intended to appeal century-old Brittany to honour a Breton who was considered a hero for his sufferings caused by injustice.